While You Were Sleeping
by Ravyn Knyght
Summary: Finished! What went on during the 1000 years' dormancy? Read and Review please!


Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon and other related characters are copyrighted by Naoko Takeguchi. All other characters belong to me."  
--Quoth the Ravyn  
  
While You Were Sleeping -- by Ravyn Knyght  
  
-Year 2002-  
  
The time had come for Serena to invoke the dormancy period so everyone would come to in the 30th century. All the scouts stood around looking at one another. "Well I guess we'll see each other again in a thousand years." Mina sighed. "I can't imagine sleeping that long myself." said Amy. "Ask Serena, she's an expert on it!" laughed Raye and the others laughed with her as Serena gave them all a hard stare. "You guys are sooo mean!" and then laughed with them.  
  
Serena's attention then fell to the man kneeling in front of them. She walked over to him and smiled at him. "You gonna be alright?" she asked him with a trace of sadness in her voice. She felt bad that during the dormancy he would be the only one who would not be sleeping. "I shall be fine. Do not forget that I'm immortal. I am now as I will be in the future as I have been in the past." The man then stood up and faced her. "I promise you that no harm shall come to this planet or its people." "I know." she said giving him a hug. "A thousand years is a long time to be on your own are you sure?" Setsuna asked him, wondering if he could stand the isolation. "I could remain within the Gates of Time if you wish. As long as I'm there I won't age." she asked hoping he would agree. Eventhough she was the Guardian of Time the upcoming millennium was inaccessible to her, she often wondered what took place. "Your concern is appreciated but as I said I shall be fine." Not even the Guardian of Time knew the full extent of Millennium's life. "Yeah, Setsuna stop worrying! He doesn't need a babysitter." Lita told the older scout. "I could stay with him!" said the youngest scout blushing at her own suggestion. Michiru pulled the eighteen year old close to her and said "You only said that because you think he's cute!" Hotaru blushed a deeper red when everyone laughed.  
  
Millennium knelt down in front of the young girl, "I'm sorry but that wouldn't be right. Besides I have an important task for you in the future." he said lifting the girl's head up. "What?" she said and blushed again when she looked into his emerald green eyes. "It will be three years into the 30th century when I return. Someone will have to take care of my two dogs until then. I'll be counting on you." he smiled at her and kissed her on the cheek. Everyone oh'ed and aw'ed as Hotaru turned a bright red. Then he called his two dogs, Dischord and Malice, over. "Aw, come on boss let us stay with you!" pleaded Malice, Dischord followed up "Yeah! What would your life be without us?" He looked at the two black german shepards, placed a hand on each head, "Peaceful." was his reply and all of the scouts laughed.  
  
"Okay! That's enough stalling! Serena it's time." said Luna and Serena nodded. They all took one last look around them. Tokyo would look much different when they wake up. Setsuna transformed and opened a time portal. "This will protect you from the silver crystals effects. It will open in three years time but it will feel like only a few moments." One last hug from Hotaru and Millennium entered the portal. Serena then held up her crystal, "Neo Moon Crystal Cryo Activation!".  
  
***Three years later***  
  
-Year 2005-  
  
The time portal reopened and Millennium stepped out. The first thing he did was survey the entire planet to make sure nothing had happened in the last three years. All the cities and towns had a crystaline coating over them that was put in place by the silver crystal to protect everything until Millennium returned. Satisfied that nothing was damaged he removed the crystal barrier from the area surrounding a forest where his mansion was. Now all he had to do was wait. He stood at the top of a hill over looking a small town in Japan. The only sound to be heard was the gentle sound of the wind. Everywhere it was quiet. America, Canada, Japan and every other country in the world. Everyone was in stasis. There was no one awake. No people, no animals. Nothing. An erie silence drifted through once bustling, noisy cities. "I like it." Millennium said and settled himself into his mansion.  
  
-Year 2098-  
  
Millenniums' first century as guardian was drawing to a close. It had been an uneventful nintey-three years. But all that was about to be shattered. A small space ship appeared over the crystaline Canadian landscape, and then landed just outside of Winnipeg. The lone pilot stepped down and surveyed his surroundings. "So this is the planet Earth?" He laughed to himself, "Taking this place over will be easy!" "I seriously doubt that!". The pilot spun around to find Millennium standing behind him. "Allow me to introduce my self...I am Rahshall. Advance scout of Destreya, Queen of the Negaverse!" He paused for a moment to remove his helmet. Millennium looked his opponent over. He didn't look that strong, "Leave while you still can. I have no wish to fight you." His comments angered Rahshall. "You think I'd dirty my hands fighting the likes of you! Ha! Scortase! Remove this pest!" Rahshall summoned a huge scorpion like creature to attack Millennium. Millennium easily dodged the scorpion's strikes. "You too are are not worthy of me! I call upon Stalfos! Ancient defender of Zaa Haa Doom! Come forth and feast on this morsel!" Just then an omniously huge bone dragon appeared and quickly made short work of Rahshall's minion. Stalfos grabbed the stinging creature and carried it into the air then slammed it hard to the ground. The dragon stood over it's broken body and and emmited a powerful burst of flame from its mouth and incinerated the giant bug.  
  
Fearing the worst for himself Rahshall tried to escape but Stalfos destroyed his ship with a powerful tail swipe. "I'm just one of many! The rest of Detreya's forces will be here in one hundred years time. You won't be so cocky then!" Rahshall warned him then Stalfos vaporized him with his Omni Cresent attack. As the dust settled and Millennium called back Stalfos, "I'll be waiting." was the only thing he said.  
  
-Year 2198-  
  
It had been one hundred years since Rahshall came and Millennium stood ready. He spent as much time as he could training both himself and his Call Monsters. He felt the evil presence of the vast apporaching armada of war ships. One by one they descended into the Earth's atmosphere. There were dozens of them. The last ship remained in orbit above the glimmering sphere. "So this is Earth!" Destreya said looking over the various images her other ships sent back to her. She was a cold woman with raven black hair and a pale complexion. Her cruel black eyes twinkled as a cold, evil smile came to her blood red lips. "The stasis barrier of the silver crystal has been activated. There's no one left to guard the planet. HaHaHaHa! How foolish of the Sailor Scouts! Imagine their surprise when they come to, to find us ruling over them! AHaHaHaHa!" Just then she stopped laughing and stared with disbelief at the monitor. A large bone dragon appeared on the monitor and she watched in horror as it released a powerful blast of energy that grew larger as it came closer to the war ship. All of a sudden the screen went to static. "Where was that ship at!" she screeched at one of her generals. Neo Ravyn answered back, "Antarctica." Destreya slammed her fist against the panel. "Go there and find out what happened! Now!" Neo Ravyn quickly complied and left to investigate. 'Could the same thing have happened to Rahshall?' the angered queen thought. Just then one of her operators informed her that communications with four more ships was lost. "I don't understand this!" she growled and grabbed the operator by his throat and drew him to her face. "Find out what happened! Put all ships on alert! Damn it! I thought no one was left awake on this planet!" and slammed her flunkie back into his chair.  
  
After a few minutes Neo Ravyn's ship touched down in Antarctica. She landed near the decimated remains of the warship. She got out and investigated the wreckage. "No survivors." she reported back. A cold chill came over her. 'Where are the bodies?! There was a crew of three thousand aboard!' she thought. She decided to leave immediately. As she got back to her ship she looked across the crystal field once more. Fear gripped her. The wreckage of the ship was now gone! "I turned my back for a few seconds!" she wondered out loud. "Neo Ravyn. Come in." an operator called on her headset. "Ships are being attacked all across the planet. Many have disappeared with out a trace. What is your status?" Neo Ravyn didn't answer. "I repeat --What is your status?" Neo Ravyn came face to face with what destroyed the massive warship. Stalfos stood over her growling, and all she could do was stare wide-eyed in horror as the beasts' massive hand reached out for her.  
  
Just then Destreya's voice came over her headset. "You incompetent fool! What's going on down there!" The only reply Destreya got was a terror filled shriek that lasted only a few seconds, then Neo Ravyn's comm. went dead. The bridge crew sat in silence. This wasn't supposed to happen! It was like a hand reached out of space itself and was carrying her forces away. Destreya stared helplessly at the monitors and listened to incoherrant transmissions of large creatures attacking, then each one went dead. Destreya was in a state of shock. She pulled the bulk of her forces together for this assault. 'No one was on this planet! It was to be a simple occupation! When Neo Queen Serenity revived everyone they would be enslaved! This wasn't suppose to happen! This can't be happening!' were some of the thoughts that raced through her cold calculating mind. An officer found the nerve to interrupt her thoughts. "Your orders." She looked at him with a look of complete helplessness. "Destroy the planet!" she finally choked out. Over 60% of her forces had vanished. What ever was on that planet was going to die with the planet. "Didn't expect that did you?!" she physcoticly laughed at the monitor displaying the planet below. "Main cannons are on line! At your discression." the officer turned to find Destreya missing from the main bridge! "You! Search the ship! Find her!" the trembling officer ordered one of the operators. "Queen Destreya is not aboard the Ragnarok." was the operators' lifeless reply. She just disappeared. Gone. "To Hell with her and this cursed planet! Break orbit and inform all remaining ships to retreat!" the officer roared, but the operators sat motionless at their comms. "There's no one left.....I can't raise anyone.....". Just then Millennium appeared onboard the ship's bridge. "No harm shall come to this planet or it's people." The officer knew who the intruder was. He was the last known Psypathic Immortal. They were the first to rule the universe but the last one disappeared over one million years ago. Now that last remaining one stood before the terrified crew. They watched as Millennium vanished from the ship.  
  
From the planet surface Millennium sat on the shoulder of Grievier, a half lion-half man, call monster of his. The two watched as Destreya's flag ship decintegrated in the Earth's atmosphere. Millennium leapt down from the beasts' shoulder and walked over to where a trembling Queen Destreya was on all fours staring at the remains of her flag ship streaking across the sky. Her wild eyes then focussed on the approaching figure. She pulled herself up and started backing away. She stared in absolute disblief at the man before her. She stopped and prepared to attack. Destreya raised her hands and let out a powerful energy blast that engulfed the nightmarish demon before her. "You're a myth! A legend! You don't exist!" she screeched. Millennium emerged from the blast unharmed. Destreya was beside herself and started physcoticly cackling as she fell to the ground. All her strength left her. She sat looking up at him still laughing, with tears streaming down her face. "I assure you I am quite real." Millennium said as he extended his hand offering to help her up. She put her shaking hand in his and he pulled her to her feet. "So are you going to kill me now?!" she asked her voice breaking. "No. Enough people have died today. You may leave. One small ship still remains. Take it. And never return here, or you will die." Millennium raised his and and summoned the ship to where they were. She climbed into the cockpit still in a state of shock and keyed in the launch sequence.  
  
As the ship prepared to break orbit, Destreya came to her senses. "No! I will not be defeated by a myth!" she yelled and turned the small craft around. Millennium watched as the small craft accelerated towards him. Destreya was going to ram him. He stood ready and then let loose a powerful blast the engulfed and vaporised the ship. "Foolish." was the only thing Millennium said as he watched the debris cloud fade away. So much for the great invasion Rahshall warned of.  
  
-Year 2378-  
  
After diposing of several large meteors that threatened the planet, Millennium was about to return to his mansion when he felt a presence. It was a familiar feeling. Different but same. He felt this pesence following him for nearly two hundred years. "So who's my newest pursuer?" Millennium said aloud to himself and headed to where the spacecraft was landing.  
  
The pilot jumped out of their craft and looked around the landscape that was once Egypt. The pilot removed her helmet, let her long light biege hair spill out, and walked up to a crystalized sphinx. "I wonder what happened?" She stomped her boot heel on the hard crystal. It made a soft melodic ringing tone. "Interesting." she said. The sun reflecting off of the crystalised landscape hurt her soft lavendar eyes so she put on a pair of dark glasses. "Much better!" as she continued walking around. Millennium watched her from a distance. 'So you've finally come.' he thought to himself as he watched the woman rove across the landscape. She thumped and banged the crystaline structures, and giggled to herself at the different notes each thump caused. "I'll check this out later! Right now I think I'll track down that anomalous reading I got east of here." She made her way back to her ship and took off for the one area she detected from orbit that was exposed. "I'd better put the welcome mat out." Millennium said.  
  
The woman landed her craft near the edge of the opening. "Wow! This whole area's wide open!" as she looked down the steep crystal embankment that lead to a forest. The forest was still living and just recently experienced a rain storm. The woman found this out the hard way as a section of the crystal barrier was wet. She slipped and rolled down the embankment letting out a few swear words as she hit the forest floor. She landed in a large stream that was created by the run-off. She stood up covered in mud and laughed at her appearance. "That was fun!" she giggled as she checked herself for injuries. Except for her slightly bruised bottom and pride, she was fine. She took out a data recorder and went to work studying the plants and trees. She was in dazed awe of her surroundings. She spun around looking up at the tree tops as rain droplets fell from the branches down on to her. This was so much different from her home world. It was so.....primative. Just then her data recorder started beeping. "Lifeforms?!" she said staring at the readings coming in. She looked up from her mini computer and saw that she was surrounded by several furry creatures. When Millennium revived this forest, he also revived the wildlife it contained. As the wolves circled her, she was more amazed then scared. She knelt down and held out her recorder to one of the wolves that came closer to her. It backed away quickly while growling at her.  
  
The wolf approached again but didn't back away when she reached her hand out to it. It sniffed her hand then gently licked it. "Oh you're a cute one!" she said as she carefully reached to pet the animal. "So soft! And those pale blue eyes!" she said and watched as the wolves ran off as if something had called them. "Oh my...." she said breathless. "Canis Iupus, of family Canidae.....Grey Wolf...male...seven years of age...Incredible!" she squealed. "I've got to get more readings!" The reason for her excitement was that the same species died out on her planet more than twenty thousand years ago. "How could the same species exist on two different planets millions of light years apart, at different evolutionary levels?" she wondered out loud. "Well I guess this proves my spontaneous evolution theory. And they laughed at me! Ouuu! Just wait till I show them my findings!" she let out a triumphant cheer. Her recorder sounded again, but just for a second. "Was that a humanoid life sign?" the scan didn't get all that much from the brief encounter. She looked around wide eyed while recalibrating her recorder. Nothing. What ever that was it was gone. "Probably a glitch. I must've damaged it when I fell." she reasoned.  
  
As she continued to walk through the forest she couldn't help but take in everything. The sights- large majestic green trees, lush vegetation. The sounds of the various aviary life. The sweet heavy smell of the evergeen trees and wet earth. She loved it all. She only wished that more of the planet survived whatever caused that crystaline growth. "I'll have to study it more so I can recalibrate my scans." She stopped in the middle of a group of oak trees reviewing some scans. She walked up to a tree, "Haven't done this since Ultrinia!" she said and started climbing the huge tree. She climbed until she found what her scans detected. A small birds' nest. Inside there were three infant birds squawking and chirping. When the saw her they leaned their tiny heads towards her and held their mouths open. "No." she giggled, "I'm not your mama!" she said and looked above her to see the mother sparrow a few branches away squawking up a storm. "Alright! I'm going!" she said but before she descended she took a look around. Off in the distance she noticed a path. "There is someone here!" Her eyes followed the path until they fell onto a large structure. She sat staring wide eyed at the distant building.  
  
Quickly making her way down the tree and taking out her recorder that contained a map of the area, she followed it until she reached the path. Before long she was standing in front of the huge mansion. "Made entirely of wood, constructed several hundred years ago...." she sounded of her scan. She walked up the front steps and looked in one of the windows. "I wonder if anyone's home?" she walked towards the door. "Ow!" she cried as she slammed into the oak wood door. "Didn't develope an auto-opening mechanism I guess." she said rubbing her nose. She felt around the door until her hand touched the door handle. She pulled on it and the door opened. Inside amazed her. She absent mindedly roamed the entire house. "No life signs. Nobody's home." she said her voice filled with awe and wonder as she looked over various items in the house. After some more wandering she found herself in the study. She immediately walked to the book shelf and started taking out some of the books and read though them. She hardly ever came across civilizations that recorded information this way anymore. Her data recorder worked overtime trying to translate the strange languages.  
  
She picked up another book and her heart stopped. She recognized the language. She immediately searched through her computer to find other files that had the same language. All her strength left her body and she stood holding the book in trembling hands. He was here! After all this time she finally encountered the strongest evidence that the last Psypath still existed. The scan indicated that the book was one hundred and twenty- one years old. "Rats! I just missed him! He couldn't have gone that far though! All of these are coming back with me!" she said gathering as many books as she could carry. "You weren't crazy grampa!" she said triumphantly. She could now prove to her people that the Psypaths were real. Her grandfather died believing in them. It was the reason she became a scientific historian to prove they existed.  
  
Just then her computer started beeping again. She looked at it. It detected an unusual life reading. She quickly tried to locate it. "Ha! Gotcha!" then stared in disbelief at her screen. The life form was only twenty-three inches to her south. She froze in place too terrified to turn around. 'It's right behind me! But how? I didn't hear anything! My scanner should have picked it up sooner!' her mind raced and her heart almost stopped. "Na shkorrliv shin valis." a man's voice said. Her whole body shook. She recognized the ancient language of the Psypathic Immortals. A multitude of emotions swept through her. She dreamed of this moment as did many of her family had over the countless years. She could only manage a few mousey squeaks as she forced herself around to see his face. The shock was too much for her and she collapsed into his arms unconscious.  
  
-Year 2380-  
  
It had been two years since Azura Kanzaki came to Earth. In that time she researched everything about Earth. Especially Millennium. She asked him countless questions, begged and pleaded until he gave in to letting her download all of his journals. "It's hard to believe I've been here two years!" said Azura who just turned twenty-one. "And I haven't even scratched the surface about you!" she still had to convice herself daily she wasn't dreaming. "I think I'll jump ahead a bit. Why are you here on Earth?" she spent several days preparing a new barrage of questions for him to answer. "Because I was asked to protect it until the 30th century." was his simple answer. "But why? Why this planet when there are so many struggling to evolve like this one?" she wanted a more detailed answer. "The others are capable of defending themselves better than this one. With no one awake, this planet is an easy target. This planet will be instrumental in the developement of other worlds in the 30th century." he still wasn't giving her the whole story. Frustrated she moved on, "I surveyed the entire planet and found no traces of the lost Negaverse fleet lead by then Queen Destreya. She pulled her forces from many places she was trying to take over including Austoria, my home world. Why was such a large force needed and what happened to them?" this was a question many alien cultures that were attacked by Destreya at that time asked. "She wanted this planet as a strong hold. Like I said this planet will play an important role in the future. If Destreya took it over, then the future would be in great jeapordy."  
  
Letting out a breath of exasperation, she got up and started to walk out. "Where are you going? You've only asked a few questions." he teased following her. He stopped abruptly as she spun around and walked up to him and said, "To play with the wolves! They're less agrevating then you, and better conversationalists!" she shouted then headed outside. She whistled and several wolves came running to her. As she petted and played with the wolves she started to calm down. As she chased them about, Millennium watched her. She was amazed by the simplest things. She looked at everything with the wide-eyed wonder of a child. He could understand why she loved exploring planets so much. He remembered when she first came to Earth. After several weeks she managed to carry on a conversation with him without being nervous. This amazed him. He always thought that if someone ever found him and knew who he was they would die. Obviously this wasn't the case with her. In all his 2.7 million years of existence he never felt this way about anyone. He never met anyone like Azura. She was high- spirited and enchanting. She was also a real spitfire. That was the trait he loved most about her. No mortal ever dared to raise their voice to a Psypath let alone attack one. He remembered the event well.  
  
He told her that he knew her grandfather was dying and paid him a visit. He thought that the old man deserved to see him at least once. This brought a tremendous amount of peace to his mind knowing that his life's work was not wasted chasing a myth. Azura remembered what her grandfather went through trying to convince the Austorians that Psypaths were real. She remembered some of her fondest childhood memories sitting on his lap as he told her about the Psypathic Immortals. Being a small child she believed him, afterall her grandfather would never lie to her. After all the years he spent chasing after Millennium her grandfather died. His death devastated Azura. And to think Millennium could have validated her grandfather's work so long ago, to spare him all that he went though in his life. Azura's anger built up to overflowing rage and she punched him.  
  
He laughed to himself as one of the wolves grabbed her long braided pony tail and hauled her to the ground invoking a tug of war between them. "Could she really be the one?" he asked aloud. Everything inside him was telling him yes. Psypaths only took a scant few to spent their lives with. For the first time in his life he had found his first love. 'But she's a mortal, that's going to be hard on both of us.' he said in quiet contemplation.  
  
After calming down, Azura decided to try Millennium again. She thought about leaving but couldn't bring herself to do it. There was something about this place, and him, that was telling her to stay. "What is this I'm feeling?" she said as she caught sight of him standing in one of the windows watching her. 'I'll make you crack yet!' she said to herself and started towards the mansion.  
  
The two sat down again. "I want to apologize." Millennium started, Azura raised an eyebrow at him- she loved it when men apologized to her. "I've been holding back so much for so long, I'm not sure what to tell you because I'm afraid I don't know where to start." "That it?" Azura gave him a hard stare, "No offense but your apology skills suck!" Millennium laughed at her openess. He had never encountered anyone like her. "Well perhaps I should start at the beginning? Does that please you?" Azura smiled and loaded a data crystal into her recorder.  
  
-Year 2382-  
  
"Oh I'm going to miss you!" Azura said clutching several wolves tightly to her. It had been four years since she came to Earth. Not once did she contact her home world to let them know her status. Azura's father was a member of the high council of Austoria, and convinced his government to sent a battle cruiser to search for her. The Haansguasho hovered in orbit above Earth waiting to take her back. She gave out an exasperated sigh staring up at the stary night sky. "Promise me you'll come back some day." Millennium came up from behind her and put his arms around her. She closed her eyes and relaxed in his strong arms. Just then a thought came to her. "Come with me." she said turning around but still in his grasp. Her soft lavendar eyes staring lovingly into his dark emerald eyes. "I can't. I am to protect this planet." he told her. She pouted, "Let your Call Monsters do that for you! I'm sure I can convince the Haansguasho's captain to keep watch here while you come back with me?" she rested her head on his chest, "Please? I love you." she pleaded almost in tears. Millennium let out a heavy sigh, lifted her head up to him and kissed her, "Very well." His response brought out an overwhelming feeling of love for him within her. "I shall not remain long though." and held her closer to him. Azura was not prepared for what happened next. In a blinding flash they were aboard the bridge of the massive cruiser. "How long will it take to reach Austoria?" Millennium asked the bewildered captain. "T-t-three months, Hyperspace time!" the captain stammered, 'Was Azura telling the truth about him?' he thought. "Too long! My way is faster!" Millennium said as everyone stared at him wondering what he meant. The same blinding flash enveloped the ship and it blinked out of Earth's orbit.  
  
In an instant the Haansguasho reappeared in Austoria's orbit. "What was that?!" the captain demanded. "I don't know sir! The readings are completely off the scale! We travelled over seven-hundred and fifty million light years in just under three minutes!" the controller said astounded as he rechecked his readings. "That was something your people have yet to discover." Millennium told the dazed captain. While still holding Azura he vanished and reappeared down on the planet surface.  
  
"Welcome to my home!" Azura sang as she took him on a personal tour of the planet. Everyone could not believe that they were in the presence of a Psypath. As Azura lead him around the Capital, Hyonaris, everyone stared and whispered at them. Azura flashed a conceited look at them all. 'That's right! Let the jaws hit the floor! Who's a crackpot now!' she snickered at people who once called her and her family crazy for believing in such a myth. While Azura and Millennium spent time together, high level meetings took place. "We should make an alliance with him! With his power we will be unstopable! We will no longer need to fear anything or anyone!" said one councilor. "No!" shouted another, "We should research ways to get rid of him! The man is anti-life itself! The universe itself is in danger with a force like that existing in it." said a fear-filled councilor after reading the report of Destreya. "We will do neither. Instead we will leave him alone. If we form an alliance with anyone it will be the people of Earth." the Austorian president spoke, quieting all of them. "He has caused no one harm that has not harmed him. True, the Psypaths were a destructive race but they no longer exist. Millennium is proof of that. That is what we will tell the other worlds. His existance shall not go forward to the other allied planets. We shall keep his secret, as he instructed. Make the necessary announcements to our people.". The president left leaving the council to fight amongst themselves.  
  
"Is it true?" she asked heartbroken. "Yes it is. A Psypath can only have a child by another Psypath." Millennium said trying to comfort Azura. She wanted so badly to have his child. "Do not let that concern you now. You have a wedding to prepare for!" She smiled when he reminded her. It was so sudden, it made her dizzy. She felt as if she were intoxicated. This had to be a dream, finally finding the last remaining Psypath, falling in love with him! And now to be married to him! She quickly pushed the sad thoughts to the back of her mind. "Then I will see you in three days! I love you!" she said kissing him passionately. "And I love you." he told her. She loved hearing it because unlike other men he told the truth. Out of all the women in all the universe Millennium chose her. She never felt so special in her life and was determined to return the feeling to him, somehow, someday.  
  
-Year 2387-  
  
After returning to Earth, Azura spent most of her time haphazardly switching from her laboratory which Millennium let her build in a wing of his mansion, although most of the time Millennium was not allowed in this wing. To studying the crystal barrier protecting the planet, to building an engine system that mimicked Millennium's instant transport technique. And finally finding time to squeeze in a love making marathon or two with her husband. Millennium wondered where she got all this energy from. Ocassionally he would have to drag her to bed or convince her to take a break or eat something. Once Azura put her mind on something, whatever it was came first and everything else finished dead last.  
  
One morning after her early morning ritual of watching the sun rise she sped off to her lab and Millennium didn't see her for the rest of the day. He didn't see her for several days. But this didn't bother him much, she always did this, disappearing into her little world of computers and tests and experiments. One evening she finally made an appearance. She entered the room in a quiet manner that was most unusual for her. In the last few days Millennium sensed a change in her, this change made him feel uneasy. What Azura was about to tell him next would definitely disturb him. "Millennium, honey." she said and gently sat on his lap and kissed him. "I've got something to tell you." her soft sweet tone did nothing to ease his fears. "I'm going to have a baby. You're baby." she kissed him again. Millennium carefully slipped out from under her and walked over to a window. His reaction somewhat confused her, she was hoping he'd be happy. "How did this miracle come about." his voice sounded empty.  
  
Azura started "Well I took some of my Dna and some of your Dna and started researching on how to combine the two. It wasn't easy I tell you but finally it came to me..." she continued but Millennium wasn't listening. His blood ran cold when Azura wrapped her arms around him, she could feel the mounting tension in him. "An experiment..." he muttered and broke free from his wife's embrace. Azura couldn't understand the problem, "Why can't you be happy about this? We're going to have a child! You're going to be a father!" she asked him now growing worried that she might have made a mistake. "How can I be happy about an experiment that was constructed piece by piece in a laboratory to serve one purpose only!" Millennium roared back at his now frightened wife. She never saw him this angry. She couldn't understand how such a happy occassion could provoke such a violent response from him. Azura started crying and ran out of the study.  
  
The next day she left for Austoria, neither of them said anything to each other. Right now Azura needed her family. She needed someone to support her, to talk to her, to let her know they cared about her. Millennium watched as the ship took off. "You damn fool why didn't you tell her!" he screamed out loud to himself as the ship hyper folded out of sight. Back on Austoria, Azura was comforted by her family who were equally shocked at Millennium's behavior. Several days later when Azura was feeling a little better, her father talked to her. "I think I know why he was so upset with you, darling." he said as they walked around a busy park. Azura was watching a man and a very pregnat woman sharing a passionate kiss. "Why couldn't Millennium be that happy about you?" she sighed sadly putting a hand on her flat stomache. "It's not so much the child, it's what it represents. A second coming of the Psypaths. He's worried what will happen when people learn how to genetically cross breed themselves with such a powerful species." her father said. It quickly sank in. Azura was so preoccupied with giving Millennium a child she never considered the dangers of what she was doing. 'If it got out that it was possible to breed a child with Psypathic powers then...' the thought made Azura cry. "What have I done!?" she cried into her father's shoulder. "I think you should go back now and talk this over with him." That was something Azura didn't want to do but knew she had to.  
  
Several days later she returned to the shimmering sphere, hoping she was still welcome. Millennium was waiting for her nearby where she landed. She rushed to him crying. "Millennium, I..." but was silenced when Millennium kissed her. "Azura there's something I have to tell you about myself." he started but got interuppted by Azura. "Me first...I know why you were upset with me. I did something dangerous that I shouldn't have. It's just that I was so caught up in the idea of having your child I didn't look to see what was behind the door I was opening. If you don't want the child I understand, I'm sure I can..." Millennium grabbed her tightly by the shoulders. "Don't even think about such a thought! I won't let you!" his response shocked her. "Okay, I'm confused. First you didn't want the baby but now you do?" Azura said still stunned over his sudden change. "I never said I didn't want the child. It's just the way it came about without telling me. Sure I could sense the change in you but it's the fact that you didn't come to me and tell me what you were planning. That and...." he stopped, trying to call up the courage to tell her the truth about himself. "And?" she said wanting him to continue as they started walking towards the house.  
  
"I've never told you this because it's something that's very painful for me." he started. They sat down on the couch and Millennium continued. "I wasn't born almost three million years ago, I was created." Azura was shocked, 'That's why he flipped out!' she listened as he continued. "I was nothing more than an experiment. The Psypaths wanted to see if they could create a stronger version of themselves, for military purposes. The end result was me. What you see before you is the most advanced weapon of mass destruction that has ever been created. That is what I was made for, that is what I'm good at, and that's all I was ever supposed to be." Azura was beyond words or thought with what Millennium told her, but he was only half finished. "But after seven hundred thousand years, I became self aware. I looked at myself and my people and knew what I had done was wrong. What they had done was wrong. This was something they really weren't ready for and when it happened they tried to destroy me. When the Psypathic War ended I was all that remained of the most advanced civilization in the universe. They were destroyed by their own weapon. You've been to the Dead System, haven't you?" he questioned Azura who was still in a state of shock and only managed to nod her head in agreement. "That is all that is left of my home world, and solar system." Azura couldn't believe he could be that powerful. "You did all that? But then that means...but there's no life on those....after two million years?" Azura just couldn't believe it. She couldn't begin to imagine the pain he suffered all this time, keeping this to himself.  
  
"How can a weapon be a caring father?" he said pulling her close to him in bed. "The same way it can be a loving husband." Azura reminded him then drifted off to sleep. Millennium lay awake the whole night going over everything in his mind, 'I hope this works out.'. The thought of being a father was something he never once considered but now he had to.  
  
The next several days Millennium spent telling Azura what to expect carrying a Psypath inside her. "It will be a tremendous drain on your lifeforce, you may even die. Even a Psypathic mother was severely weakened after the birth." he warned his wife. "Planned for that!" she cheerfully said. "While I was researching I discovered that and came up with an injection that will keep me from being too weakened." "Well then there's training...the child will have psypathic powers after all." Azura interjected again, "That might not be necessary. I think I found a way to supress the bulk of her powers until she's older." Millennium stared at his wife, "She?" "Well, yeah. Seeing how I'm the one who is having this kid, I should have a say in whether it's a boy or a girl. And I wanted a girl!" she stated with a smug look. "Well I guess that's that, then." he replied knowing there was nothing he could do. "Good! I'm glad you are finally seeing things -My- way." she sang and once again disappeared into her laboratory.  
  
-Year 2392-  
  
Since Azura designed that new engine system, frequent trips to her home world were possible. It seemed like every few weeks she was going there so their daughter, Areona, would be able to attend school with her friends. On the few occassions that they were on Earth, Azura couldn't pull Areona away from her father. "Papa, can't I stay with you?" the little red haired girl asked flashing her pale ice blue eyes at him. "I know it's hard on you angel, but your mother and I both feel you need to be around children your own age." Areona pouted. "You'll have to get used to it because you'll have to stay on Austoria for a while in order to attend school regularly." Azura told her daughter. "Now let's get you off to bed!" as they chased her up the stairs with her laughing all the way.  
  
After putting her to bed, the two stayed up talking about Areona's extended stay on Austoria. "I've already sensed that her powers are becoming stronger, you'll have to keep an eye on her. If she even shows the slightest signs of using it let me know, so I can start training her." Millennium told her but Azura wasn't listening. "Who'd have thought that child with her abilities and eternal life would ever be afraid of the dark!" Azura giggled, then sighed. The thought of Areona and Millennium both out living her was weighing heavily on her mind. "She's just a child yet. Let her be one, there will be time enough for training when she's older." Millennium picked up on the sad tone in her voice. "Does it bother you that myself and Areona will live indefinitely and you won't?" he asked. "Not really. It's just that I think about what will happen after I'm gone. Promise me you'll always be there for her." her tone was almost pleading. "She's my daughter. I won't let anything happen to her, I promise." That made her feel a little better but she still kept her worries in the back of her mind.  
  
Areona came sluggishly down the stairs, dreading the trip to Austoria. Ten years seemed like forever to the young child. "Oh, now angel, don't be sad. You'll have a good time on Austoria. I know you'll miss me but you and mom will be able to come back during breaks from your studies." Millennium picked the girl up and carried her down the rest of the stairs. Areona loved it when her father held her. She felt so safe and loved in his arms, she begged and pleaded for him to go with them. "Please don't make me go papa, I wanna stay here with you!" she flung her arms around his neck and started crying. Millennium almost gave in but he knew she would have to learn how to be separated from him and Azura. The last trip to and from Austoria, Azura switched to the old hyper-jump engines so Areona would get used to being apart from her father. She behaved for the most part due to the fact that the boundless void of hyper space amazed her. The two made a game of it. Azura loaded a list of known lifeforms that existed in hyper space, and taught Areona how to use the ship's computers to scan the flight path for them. Every now and then they would break from their course to follow them and observe their behavior. Areona loved the Krahll. They were a jellyfish type lifeform that were a hundred meters in length and traveled in groups. They were the most rarest of lifeforms living in hyperspace and rarely seen.  
  
"So how many lifeforms are we gonna find this time!" Azura said as she got her daughter settled in her seat. Areona was still a little upset, and didn't answer. Azura tried a different approach. As the ship's jump engines came on line, Azura loaded a text file on to Areona's display. "Could you read that to me honey?" Areona looked at the display and glanced it over. "It says that an ancient structure that exsists in hyper space, called "The Well of Souls" is the most sought after archilogical find in the universe. However those who have searched for it have never returned and of the few that did kept its location a secret." Areona thought for a second, "Is this what I'm supposed to scan for?" she asked in an excited tone. Areona was one of the few people to actually see a Krahll, and hoped to find other rare things. The girl's excited tone made Azura smile, her daughter was getting more and more excited with each trip about exploring and finding something new or rare. "We're gonna try young explorer!" she said as they drifted though the red void. Azura wanted Areona to have a head start when she attended regular school, so she taught her daughter about many things. Being a scientific historian, it was Azura's duty to ivestigate such things and research them. Sharing these finds with her daughter was an added bonus, it made finding such rare things more exciting. Having someone like Areona with her when she made new discoveries made them extra special. This was her own personal time with her daughter, and she enjoyed every second of it.  
  
"So what does it look like, mama?" the child asked inquistively, tapping away at her control panel and staring hard out across the void hoping to see it. "It's supposed to be a huge city built on a large, drifting asteroid. Because it drifts on the currents its hard to find. But we won't let that stop us will we?" she laughed when the little girl cheered. 'Now who's the favorite parent!?!' she smirked to herself and broke from their flight path. Relying on unconfirmed data, Azura keyed in the co- ordinates of the last known position of the asteroid. "Does that mean people really lived in hyper space, mama?" Areona asked her eyes still glued to the void. "I'm not sure honey, maybe. One legend has it that an ancient race was trying to develop a way to take their entire planet into hyperspace and relocate to another part of the galaxy to escape their sun which was about to go super nova and collapse into a black hole. They failed and the planet was torn apart. Its said they found a way to keep several large pieces of the planet in hyper space and continued to live in hyper space."  
  
Areona sat in quiet awe of the story her mother told her. If she wasn't excited before, she was now. "But mama, Nashira said that legends aren't true. That they're things grown ups make up. Is that true?" Areona asked. "Well Nashira doesn't have much imagination now does she? True, some legends are made up but they inspire hope in the minds and hearts of those that believe them. They give people a reason to dream, to go out and explore and question. Imagine being the first one to prove a legend true." Azura said while checking her readings. "That's what I love about my work, it gives my life meaning. I can't think of anything more exicting than exploring old ruins discovered centuries ago and finding something that previous researchers missed. I've noticed you get excited the same way I do when you see something you've never seen before. You can't wait to tell someone about it can you? Even if they don't believe you, you know yourself that some times dreams and legends come true." Areona didn't answer, she was too busy accessing a data base for all known files regarding The Well of Souls.  
  
They were near the point where they could jump to regular space and approach Austoria, when scans detected a large unidentified mass fourty light years from where they were. "Hmmm...At maximum burn it will take four days to get there and you're supposed to be starting school tomorrow." her mother's words brought out a loud protest. "Oh well, it won't hurt if you take a pre-school field trip!" Areona cheered as they headed for what they hoped would be The Well of Souls.  
  
When they reached their destination the pair were beyond words. Floating in front of them was not one asteroid but three. By some wind of fate the three were brought together. There was some wreckage that appeared to be old star ships being held in orbit around the asteriods. Azura came full stop and started scanning the ancient structures from a safe distance. Under magnified view they could see large cities encased in some sort of barrier. There were active weapon systems surrounding the barriers. 'That explains the destroyed ships around here.' Azura thought to herself. "Come on, mama! Let's land! I wanna see! I wanna see!" Just then Areona felt sick to her stomach. A sharp pain went through her body and she screamed. When Azura checked her daughter the first thing she noticed was that her eyes were completely black. Soon afterwards Areona calmed down and started keying in a landing sequence. "No! Stop! Those weapons are still active!" Azura screamed fearing that they would be destroyed if they got any closer. Azura tried desparately but couldn't gain control of the ship. It was like something was drawing the ship in on auto-pilot. Within a few seconds they were through the barrier and landing in an ancient docking bay.  
  
When they stepped out Areona returned to normal, but still felt a little drained. There were some monitors nearby still running their programs. Azura went to work translating them while keeping a close eye on Areona. It didn't take Azura long to translate the language, it was Psypathic. Was this one of the planets that tried to escape from Millennium!? "That explains why Areona was able to get past the defenses! But how did she know?" she wondered aloud. "Areona. How did you know how to get past those automated defenses and barriers?" she asked her daughter. The little girl looked at her mother with a confused look, "Did I land the ship?" she asked not having any memory of what happened. Azura quickly reasoned that somehow knowledge of this place from Millennium was passed on to Areona somehow. Azura thought of having Areona help her research this place, then decided against it because it might be dangerous for her. "I think we should leave now, honey." but when she looked around there was no sign of Areona anywhere.  
  
After two hours of searching she found Areona standing in a large pond. "Areona!" she cried out as a wave of dark energy engulfed her daughter. Whatever this energy field was Azura couldn't get through it or even take readings on it. Inside the barrier Areona stood motionless, her eyes glazed over once again, as countless eons of memories flooded her. When the energy disapated, Azura rushed to her daughter who was now crying hysterically. "What's wrong angel?" she said trying to comfort her frightened daughter. "Papa....", Azura looked at her and said "What about papa?" Azura questioned trying to understand what just happened. "Papa hurt all those people! Why? Why, mama? Why did papa hurt all those people?" and started crying again. Azura didn't know what to say. She guessed that the pond was the true Well of Souls. All the souls of the people Millennium destroyed. It must have been left in case other Psypaths found this place to tell them what had happened. The place was abandoned. Was Millennium here at one point? Azura shuddered at the painful silence of the ancient city, and immediately brought Areona back to their ship. After re-entering the data Areona entered earlier they managed to clear the defenses unscathed.  
  
As they arrived on Austoria, Azura wiped all records of the Well of Souls from her ship's memory and backed it up on a set of data crystals for her own research. "Areona. Promise me that you won't tell papa about going to the Well of Souls." Millennium would be horrified if he knew his daughter found out about the nature of his existance and that her powers were emerging at a rapid rate that not even Azura counted on. Areona just sat in silence, the image of her father was shattered. All those memories still circling in her mind telling her that her father was a rampaging monster. Azura knew that this would affect the way Areona looked at Millennium. As they got settled in her quarters in the presidential palace, she wondered what else Areona discovered while she was in the Well of Souls. A cold shiver went through her as a thought entered her mind. 'What if Millennium senses that Areona used her powers and came in contact with the ancient outpost?'. Azura spent every waking moment trying to think of how she would break this to Millennium.  
  
-Year 2402-  
  
It was a rough ten years for the family, but Azura and Millennium managed to ease their daughter's fears about Millennium's past. Although she understood, she treated him differently then she used to. No more "I love you papa !" 's, or "I wanna stay with you papa!" 's. Areona was subconsciously distancing herself from her father, and it was hurting their relationship. Areona spent more and more time with her mother and started moving away from her father emotionally. The knowledge of the Well of Souls stayed with her and instead of ignoring it, she found herself listening to it more and more. She knew that the way she cooly acted towards him was hurting him, she didn't want to do that to him but she couldn't help it. Because of her father, the only people who could really understand her were a distant memory. She found herself researching more and more about the Psypaths. This, interest... no, obsession with her heritage made both her parents uneasy. Areona knew they didn't like it but something inside her insisted that she had to know where she came from.  
  
"Late night reading session again huh?" Azura said as she came into the library. Areona glanced up from a monitor, "Yeah. I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd do a little more research on the Psypaths." Azura came over and read the flickering display, "Well of Souls, last known position of." This made Azura nervous, "Why are you reading that? I thought we agreed that topic was off limits." Areona looked back at the monitor. "I know but....Ever since I've been there something keeps calling me back. There's so much to learn there, its knowledge shouldn't be left to just drift through hyper space." she said while memorizing some vector calculations that would help locate the drifting remains. "Have you talked to your father about these feelings? Maybe he could help you understand them?" Azura's words made her daughter cringe. 'Talk to my father about it! Oh, yeah right!', "I don't know how to talk to him about this, mom. He doesn't understand how I feel about this, all I have left to go on of what the Psypaths were is what you and Millennium tell me. I don't want to upset you both but I feel like you're holding back on me, that there's more that you won't tell me. Maybe it's for my own good but I'd like to make that decision for myself." Areona pleaded her case to her mother. Azura gave a heavy-hearted sigh then spoke, "I'll talk to your father tomorrow. Maybe I can convince him to let you go back, though I'm not promising anything." the fifteen year old let out an excited squeal and hugged her mother.  
  
After several failed discussions with her husband, Azura was all to happy to drop the matter. She too, didn't want Areona going to such a place. Areona however wasn't about to let it go. Early one morning, after they watched the sun rise, Areona started to work her charm on her father. She quietly made her way into his study where he was reading. "Good morning, dad!" she cheerfully said as she sat on Millennium's lap, wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a tight hug and kiss on the cheek. Millennium returned his daughter's affection. " The answer is still no." he flat out stated. Areona gave him a wide-eyed look of curiosity. "Can't a daughter give her father a hug and a kiss good morning without wanting something in return?". "Of course she can, but the move you just employed is always used by your mother. When she does it, I know she wants something." he smiled back at his daughter. "Why won't you let me go?" she asked, pleading the ancient warrior. "Because it's a dangerous place and you are still in training. You are not ready to go yet but someday you will be, I promise." he said to her as she pouted. "I want you to be able to control your powers better before you go there. There are many secrets there that could affect you. The urge to use your abilities, is quite strong. I know. I fought the same internal battles myself and at times still fight them." he added.  
  
Areona wasn't about to drop it, "Then train me!" she demanded. "Teach me so that I know wrong from right when using my powers." he just looked at her. She was too insistant on learning to do more with her powers and every now and then would use them. When she did use them both Azura and Millennium punished her, Millennium was a bit more severe with his punishments because he knew the dangers better. What worried him most was the number of times Areona had to be punished. Her powers gave her confidence which soon turned to arrogance. Not too many of her friends on Austoria could tolerate her. She was becoming unstable and Millennium had to step in several times to prevent her from doing something dangerous. He remembered one time when she wanted a boy she liked to go out with her but he wasn't interested in her but some other girl. Azura got worried when the two girls got into a fight about it and Areona almost killed her.  
  
Azura had to call Millennium in to help stop her. He arrived just as Areona was about to finish off the girl. He had a hard time canceling out the energy blast she sent towards the injured girl. Finally he deflected it upwards into space. It had been a long tims since he had to deal with someone that powerful. The fact that it was his daughter scared him even more. "What if she doesn't control her powers?" Azura asked. "Then she will become what I once was. A cold, heartless being that made sport of decemating civilizations." the strength left Azura's body when she got the answer to her next question. "Does that mean you might have to destroy Areona?". Millennium fell silent for a few minutes, 'I'll have to kill my own daughter!?' the thought almost tore him apart. How could he bring himself to kill his only child? 'If I do what would Azura think? Would she never want to see me again? How could I live with myself if I did?'. "That is up to Areona. I pray she makes the right choice." Azura wasn't so sure that Areona would, neither was Millennium.  
  
With a heavy hearted sigh, Millennium agreed to start training her to use her powers better, and when to use them. Areona was thrilled as she insisted they start immediately.  
  
-Year 2409-  
  
It was a big mistake taking Areona to the floating relic. Millennium cursed the day he decided not to destroy it. "I should have vaporized that damn obscenity!" he roared out as Azura tried to calm him. Areona was even more out of control since returning from the Well of Souls. So much out of control, that Millennium had to fight with his daughter physically in order to get her emotions and powers under control. Areona was in her room unconscious after her most recent fight with her father. Azura left to check on her, leaving Millennium to contemplate what to do about her. He didn't dare tell his wife that Areona hadn't even touched the tip of her true power in her fights with her father. Neither did Millenium. He might have to the next time and that worried him. Areona's powers rivaled his own. What if he lost to her? What would happen to the universe? Would Areona eventually come to her senses before she destroyed everything and everyone? Millennium was deathly afraid that he would break his promise to his wife about always being there for their daughter.  
  
Azura sat down on the bed and gathered the young woman into her arms and gently rocked her. This recent battle scared her greatly as she remembered it over and over. No matter what she did she couldn't get it out of her head. The sight of the two of them fighting each other and ignoring her pleas to stop. Why was this happening? Where did it all go wrong? "Damn that floating graveyard!" she growled as she looked down at her sleeping daughter's face. She looked so calm and at peace with herself when she slept. When she was awake the strain of controlling her powers took a devastating toll on the young girl. Azura's heart sank when she wondered how long this internal conflict would rage inside of her daughter. 'How long will it go on? Will she win? Will I have my little girl back?' she wondered as tears fell down her face. Several of them splashed down on Areona's cheeks and woke her. "Why are you crying?" she said groggily as she sat up. She didn't need to ask the question, she knew why her mother was crying. Areona started crying too. "I'm sorry. I am trying my best but..." her mother held her closer as her voice broke down into sobs. Areona hated what she was doing to her parents. She wished this was all over. She wished she could go back seventeen years and stop Azura and herself from ever finding the cursed planetary barge.  
  
Several days later Areona stood in front of her father looking very ashamed. She knew all this was hurting him, and was doing everything she could to keep herself in check but it was hard on her. She did have one thing on her side though, her parents. Azura comforted her and Millennium helped her understand her feelings. He had gone through it all before her. Azura wondered if she'd be all right, Millennium reassured her that Areona would come through. She had more of a start then he did in controlling his powers. He was left on his own to do as he pleased until it was too late. He was determined to be there every step of the way with his daughter so she would come through this rough time. "Do not look so ashamed. I'm proud of you as is your mother. You are doing very well in your training. We -will- help you through this. You have come along way, do not dwell on the few setbacks but focus on the many steps forward you have taken." he praised his daughter. He knew berating her would do no good. Her self confidence was severely shaken right now and needed to be strengthened. "Let's continue with your training." he told her and she reluctantly went along with it, although she didn't want to.  
  
-Year 2419-  
  
Azura made a shocking discovery about her daughter. All of her Austorian Dna was gone. Areona was completely Psypathic. Azura never imagined that the Psypathic Dna was so dominant. What angered her though was that Millennium knew that this would happen and did not tell her about it. Her father was right. She had helped in the second coming of the Psypaths. She was afraid of what would happen now that Areona was completely Psypathic. With Areona losing more and more control she feared for the safety of her daughter. She didn't want to see her daughter hurt anyone or be hurt herself. She wondered constantly what Millennium thought. Would he have to take extreme measures to prevent Areona from giving in to her powers? What would those extreme measures be?  
  
Right now both Areona and Millennium were on a distant planet. Millennium thought it would be good to take her to an uninhabited planet while he tried to work with her to help her get herself under control. At least if she suffered an outburst, she wouldn't hurt anyone or anything. Millennium trained her hard. They would constantly fight but Millennium saw this as a good thing. As long as she was letting out her rage and cruel intentions against someone who could withstand it, she was satisfying her urges to use her powers. Areona couldn't understand that though. She was becoming more and more like the Psypaths of old, using their powers to inflict pain and suffering on less evolved races. She hated the fact that her father was trying to isolate her from everyone. She thought her parents were trying to hide her away because they were ashamed of her and how she acted. This made her angry. Her power grew daily as well as her anger towards her parents and at times the universe itself. She could no longer fight her emotions to become what she was. In the blink of an eye, Areona destroyed the planet that her and her father were on.  
  
"That was fun!" she exclaimed to her father who wasn't shocked that she just did that. He was expecting that for some time now. He studied her intently. She reminded him of him when he was destroying planet after planet. She had the same cold, heartless grin on her face he used to get when ever he vaporised a civilization. "Power down, now!" he ordered but she didn't listen. "How can you turn your back on this! This is incredible!" she remarked as she reveled in the dark energy that was coarsing through her. Areona had crossed over and there was nothing Millennium could do now but try to contain her and wait it out. 'Eventually she'll come to her senses.' he hoped but it would be along time before that would happen and Millennium didn't think the universe could handle another raging Psypath as he once was. "Areona, that's enough." he ordered but she didn't listen. "Who are you to order me!" she shouted out wanting to do more with her new found powers. "Your father, that's who! We are going home now!" he stated. The thought of returning to Earth enraged her. "I will not be dragged back to that prison! Not now, not ever!" she roared out as she powered up and vanished. Millennium headed back to Earth fearing she might try to destroy it, and to tell Azura what had just happened.  
  
"So what happens now?" Azura said staring out the window, wondering where her daughter was and what she was doing. "I'll have to bring her back. It might not be safe here for you so I think it would be a good idea if you went back to Austoria." Millennium tried to convince her to keep her safe from what ever was going to happen. Azura just shook her head, "I'm staying. She'll need me. I can help." she cried thinking of how grave the situation was. "I'm positive that the next time we fight might be to the end. I don't want you here for two reasons. One, Areona might try to harm or even kill you. That is something I don't want to happen to you. And secondly...." he stopped trying to carefully word his next phrase. "You don't want me here in case you kill her?" Azura asked, now in tears over the fact that something she had done was now tearing her apart. "Whether or not I'll have to kill her is up to Areona. I hope that she comes to her senses long before such a course of action is required." he said trying to ease her worries.  
  
After assuring Azura as best he could, Millennium set off to find and bring back Areona.  
  
-Year 2421-  
  
Two years of wandering the cosmos, following Areona's path of destruction, Millennium remembered the last time he saw such wanton death and destruction. He stood amongst the floating debris of a recently destroyed planet, shaking his head. 'Why couldn't I get through to her? Where did I go wrong?' he thought as he concentrated, trying to sense Areona's lifeforce. "There you are." he muttered as he disappeared and headed for Areona's new location.  
  
"What a surprise. You've returned to the Dead System. I thought I'd find you here." Millennium said to his daughter. "...murderer... MURDERER!" she roared out as she glared down at the decemated sand dune world of Zaa Haa Doom. Once teeming with Psypaths now rendered baron. All that once was, was now no more. The only ones that understood Areona and shared her feelings were gone. With eyes burning red, she turned to her father and sent a massive beam of energy towards him. Millennium dodged the blast and countered with one of his own. The blast struck Areona and sent her falling to the desert world below. If it was going to be a fight to the end for either one or both of them then at least it would happen in a place where there was no threat to innocent life.  
  
Not able to stand not knowing, Azura decided to follow after her husband and daughter. It wasn't long before Azura picked up the trail her daughter left behind. Asteriod fields that used to be thriving planets, destroyed remains of countless warships that must have tried to stop her. The scene was all too much for Azura as her heart sank more and more, growing sicker to her stomach, knowing that she was the cause of all this senseless death and destruction. She knew many of the worlds that were destroyed -- Etaria, Kashoran, Ultrinia. What scared her the most was that some of these planets were highly technologically advanced like Austoria, some were even more advanced. 'If these advanced worlds fell to Areona, then there is no hope for anyone if she isn't stopped!' Azura thought as she tried to follow the now cold trail. Surveying the damage, Azura could tell that Areona was getting more and more vile in her attacks. She wanted desparately to save her daughter, but now she was afraid that Areona had gone past the point of saving. There were only two places that she knew where she could find something that could save her daughter. The Well of Souls was one, but without the proper codes to enter, she would have been destroyed by the weapon systems. Her only other recourse was Zaa Haa Doom. Hopefully she could find something there that would help.  
  
Upon exiting hyper space, Azura could tell from orbit, a battle was raging down on Zaa Haa Doom. She stared at the incredible flashes of light coming from the planet. It seems Millennium and Areona were down there fighting. Millennium's victory meant the death of her daughter which she didn't want, but if Areona won, not only would Azura lose Millennium but the entire universe itself would be on the verge of being destroyed. She didn't care what happened to herself, she had to stop the two at any cost because at this point losing either or both of them was unacceptable. She had to try something or she would never be able to live with herself knowing that this war that was now being waged was all her fault.  
  
--Year 2429--  
  
It had been eight years since the battle at Zaa Haa Doom. Eight years since Areona's death. Eight years since Millennium watched Azura walk out of his life, but now she was returning. It was not an easy time for Azura. Many worlds that suffered from Areona's rampage found out that an Austorian was responsible for reviving the ancient monster. There were many wars fought against Austoria to avenge the losses the other worlds had suffered. Millennium offered to put an end to the fighting but the Austorian government refused, stating his involvement would only strengthen the opposing worlds resolve to destroy Austoria and himself. So Millennium remained isolated from the conflict. Until the Austorian Council issued a statement to the attacking forces that a Psypath was on Earth. They did this in an attempt to lessen the number of armadas they were currently fighting. However, after several Earth bound armadas disappeared, the planets united against Austroia reordered their fleets to Austoria, hoping that the Psypath would not attack them for what they attempted.  
  
Once honoured and respected among her people, Azura was now cursed by those who had lost everything in the resulting wars. Azura never left the palace for fear of death. One of her most favorite things was to watch the sun rise from atop the royal palace. From there one could see the entire sprawling capital Hyonaris. A sight that now reduced Azura to tears. She could no longer bring herself to look across the crumbled remains of the city. Although in a process of rebuilding now that the wars had ended, it would take many years for the planet to recover. She couldn't bare the thought that she was the cause of all this destruction. Because of her emotional state, her family kept a close eye on her. Already she had tried several times to kill herself. The pain of watching her only child die, the destruction of her world, the guilt of knowing it was all her fault had consumed her. For her own good, Azura's family had urged her to go back to Earth to get away from Austoria, until things had calmed down.  
  
"I can't go back. Earth is where it all started." Azura said, still not ready to face Millennium. Even after all this time she could not forgive him for killing Areona. She knew that it would have to be done if everything else had failed, but despite all the horrific acts Areona committed, all Azura could remember was the frightened little girl she held in her arms until she died back on Zaa Haa Doom. She didn't see a rampaging murderer, an ancient weapon designed to destroy. All she could see was a little girl who was afraid of the dark.  
  
**Flash Back**  
  
After the battle was over, both Millennium and Azura rushed to where Areona laid. Azura's heart broke at the sight of her battered, dying daughter. "...Mama..." Areona gasped as her eyes returned to the clear sapphire blue they once were as her mother gathered her into her arms. "...so dark....I'm...scared." she choked out. "Shh baby. Your father and I are here. There's no need to be afraid, the morning sun is coming up. See?" Azura whispered, pointing to the brightening horizon.  
  
This was to be the last sunrise that the family would watch together.  
  
**End Flash Back**  
  
Several days later Azura was back on Earth. When greeting one another, neither knew what to say. Zaa Haa Doom was still etched into both of their memories. It felt as if it had happened yesterday. The two just stood there staring at each other, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Throughout his lifetime, Millennium had always known what to do or what his next move was but for the first time he had no idea as to what to do next. Standing before him was the woman that threw his life into a chaotic state from the time he first met her. He couldn't hate her but he couldn't love her either. She had shown him a vivid image of what he once was through their daughter.  
  
She stood before him an old woman, vulernable and afraid. Still grieving and outraged. Not knowing what to do, she threw herself into him and cried "You promised!". "Forgive me." he whispered as he held her close to him.  
  
--Year 2459--  
  
Countless lives had lived and died and never affected him. Planets died and stars colapsed and he never felt anything. He stood alone trying to understand how two lives could have such an effect on him. The sun slowly rose as he remembered her last words "I forgive you."  
  
--3005--  
  
Centuries painfully dragged by. The new rulers of Earth awaited the return of the planets gaurdian. "I couldn't find him anywhere your majesties." Sailor Pluto reported, unable to find Millennium anywhere. His disappearance was a mystery that had everyone wondering what had happened to him. Months went by, then one day the immortal returned. "Where were you? You had us worried." queen Serenity stated. Apon hearing of his apearance, Malice and Dischord came bounding into the room with Hotaru close behind. "Oh my...What happened to you!?" she exclaimed, seeing the mysterious scar on his face. "Yeah that is a nasty scratch." Malice commented. "How'd it happen?" Serenity asked but only got a thoughtful look for a reply. "Malice, Dischord. Let's go." Millennium ordered and the two dogs complied. "What did you do during the dormancy?" Endymion asked wondering what happened. Millennium stopped and thought for a few moments and then with a smile said, "I watched the sun rise.".  
  
--The End--  
  
Questions, comments?  
  
Mail to: ravyn_knyght@yahoo.com 


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